Shadow Slave

Usually, it would have taken Kai a lot longer to fly across the city to reach the tranquil terrace district… not that he would have. But today, the famous idol neglected his habit of staying low and out of sight. It seemed that his speed increased tremendously, as well, because ten minutes later, he was already at Sunny's door.

Maybe because of that, there was no crowd of paparazzi following him.

As they waited for Cassie, Effie rummaged through the empty refrigerator, then walked away from it with a disappointed sigh.

"There's no food!"

Sunny, who was evaluating the damage the boisterous huntress had done to the guest bedroom, glanced at her darkly.

"We've been gone for months. What did you expect?"

Effie made a sad face, then shrugged.

"But I'm hungry!"

Sunny let out an exasperated breath.

"...I have some synthpaste, if you want."

She shuddered and opened her mouth to retort, but at that moment, there was a knock on the door. If not for the haughty shadow standing guard outside — reluctantly, of course, since mundane tasks such as this were grossly beneath it — Sunny would have tensed up.

However, he already knew that it was Cassie.

The blind girl walked inside, froze for a moment, then raised a deliciously smelling package.

"...I brought food."

glance at Kai

has

did not stare at the archer for long,

looks assumed an almost hypnotizing quality. It was easy to get distracted if one stared at

albeit to a different degree. After studying Kai and Cassie for a bit, Sunny couldn't help but shake his head ruefully, a stunned expression on his face.

felt wrong to put the word average in one sentence with someone like her. Jet possessed an intangible quality that no one he had ever met was able to match.

And Sunny himself?

considered a flower boy, as Soul Reaper had once predicted, but even he couldn't call himself unassuming anymore. The scrawny kid from the outskirts

threads of

settled around the table and shared

by their triumph over the Nightmare, none of the four seemed too joyous… well, except for Effie, who couldn't stop grinning and stealing glances

just felt… hurt, tired,

matter how deep the wounds dealt to their souls cut. Now that the danger had passed and the members of

the nightmares, the assault on the Ivory City… all of it was slowly coming back to haunt

had their share of demons to quell,

poured himself a cup of tea, looked at

what happened? I don't remember much after being swallowed by

dropped her fork and stared at the

were swallowed by the

Kai smiled with embarrassment:

jumped into his mouth. Because I

say anything. She even forgot about her food for a

down, then

that I would not trust anyone with the knives, I think. After you killed

a